An in-hospital study involving 12 patients with chronic stable angina pectoris was undertaken to determine the effects of verapamil given alone and combined with propranolol. Patients improved exercise capacity with verapamil compared to placebo or propranolol and increased exercise time even further with the combination of verapamil and propranolol. Nearly three-quarters of patients started on verapamil alone or in combination with propranolol have received symptomatic benefits for up to 18 months.